“ORGANISED” RABBITS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 471, 4 June 1932, Page 28 (Supplement)

“ORGANISED” RABBITS.

Soviet Cultivating New Industry. RIGA, May 29. Referring to the Soviet decision to cultivate the rabbit industry, following the danger of a meat famine, “ Izvestia,” the official Soviet organ, declares that rabbits became a pest in Australia only because they were allowed to feed and burrow “ without organisation.” Russia need not fear this trouble, as Soviet rabbits would be strictly controlled by the Communist Party. The Soviet has decided that rabbit farming is to be one of the most important sectors on the meat front. The Government has created a special department for rabbit culture, which has been ordered to produce ten million doe rabbits. A high proportion of these must be of best pedigree stock. Seventy per cent of the State farms are rearing rabbits in semi-captivity. Expeditions have been sent to explore islands in the great rivers where rabbits can run wild and not escape. Two and a half million acres have been allotted to rabbit farming. Extensive exportation of skins has been planned. Billeting of rabbits on collective farms was tried in 1931, but proved unsuccessful. The peasants felt that tending rabbits was degrading. On the other hand, the townsmen are considering the idea of rabbit farming. Spurred by the newspaper statements that it was impossible to rent flats in London and Paris, without taking over a stock of live rabbits, they organised miniature farms on house roofs.